Rockies Hold Off Giants To Win After 9 Runs In 5th
DENVER (The Sports Xchange) - The Colorado Rockies scored nine runs in the fifth inning, withstood a San Francisco comeback and beat the Giants 11-6 on Thursday in the rubber game of the series.
The win enabled the Rockies to go 3-3 on their first homestand of the season.
Colorado sent 13 batters to the plate during their game-breaking rally, which came out of nowhere.
Giants starter Matt Cain limited the Rockies to one single through four scoreless innings with five strikeouts before the Rockies strafed him in the fifth inning.
The Rockies' nine-run inning was the biggest in franchise history against the Giants, who last allowed nine runs on April 7, 2013, against St. Louis in the fourth inning.
Gerardo Parra led off the fifth with his first homer for the Rockies to tie the score at 1. He lined an 0-1 slider just over the out-of-town scoreboard in right field.
Mark Reynolds followed with a double off the base off the wall in center. Then, with one out, Tony Wolters won a 10-pitch encounter with Cain (0-1) with a bloop single over third base.
Wolters stole the first base of his career despite the Giants pitching out, putting two runners in scoring position for Rockies starting pitcher Jorge De La Rosa, whose single to short right field gave the Rockies a 3-1 lead. It was his second single of the game.
DJ LeMahieu doubled over the head of right fielder Hunter Pence. Cain loaded the bases by walking Carlos Gonzales on eight pitches and was lifted after throwing 91 pitches.
Chris Heston came on to face Nolan Arenado, who lined a two-run double off the wall in left to make it 5-3. After Parra was intentionally walked, Reynolds cleared the bases with his second double of the inning. Ben Paulsen singled to complete the scoring.
De La Rosa rebounded against San Francisco after giving up 15 hits, seven walks and 12 runs in 8 2/3 innings in his first two starts. He held the Giants to one unearned run through six innings before they began to claw back in the seventh against him and reliever Justin Miller.
Matt Duffy doubled home a run in the seventh, ending De La Rosa's outing after 102 pitches. Duffy scored on a double by pinch-hitter Ehire Adrianza with two outs. Denard Span also singled home a run in the inning.
De La Rosa gave up four hits and four runs (three earned) in 6 2/3 innings with one walk and seven strikeouts.
In the eighth, Rockies pitcher Chad Qualls muffed Hunter Pence's grounder and Brandon Belt followed with his third homer of the season to make it 9-6.
Belt was initially awarded a double, but a review by the crew chief showed that his hit bounced over the left-field fence and back onto the field.
The home run extended the Giants' franchise record for hitting a home run in each of their first 10 games this season.
Carlos Gonzalez was the only player in the Rockies' lineup without a hit until the eighth when he doubled home two runs.
NOTES: Giants 2B Joe Panik entered the game in the eighth inning. He had been held out of the lineup after falling on his hip Wednesday night while trying to make a catch in short right field. ... Rockies CF Charlie Blackmon was placed on the 15-day disabled list with turf toe on his left foot. Manager Walt Weiss said Blackmon suffered the injury diving back into second base Wednesday night in the eighth inning and didn't take the field in the ninth. C Dustin Garneau was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque to take Blackmon's roster spot. ... Rockies C Nick Hundley was undergoing concussion protocol after taking a vicious hit from a foul tip that twisted his mask sideways in Wednesday's game. ... Giants RHP Sergio Romo returned to San Francisco to undergo tests on his sore right elbow. In his absence, RHP Cory Gearrin will move into the eighth-inning role. ... Giants C Buster Posey was back in the lineup after missing the first two games of the series due to a bruised right foot. He sustained the injury Sunday when he was struck on his right instep with a foul tip. ... Giants 2B Joe Panik was not in Thursday's lineup. Manager Bruce Bochy said Panik banged his hip diving for a ball in short right field Wednesday night. He was available to pinch hit and is expected to return to the lineup Friday at Los Angeles.
